BRITAIN: "Send her victorious, happy and glorious, long to reign over us, God save the Queen . . ." It is a pretty safe bet that, wherever the words of the British national anthem are sung today, it will be with no greater gusto than in that part of Queen Elizabeth's realm whose constitutional existence has been in dispute for much of her reign.
In parts of nationalist Ireland the fact may still be the object of derision, casually discarded or simply forgotten, but for many unionists one of the most important moments in that long 54-year reign came during the silver jubilee celebrations on May 4th, 1977.
Although it would take another 20 years to accomplish, the promise of devolution was in the air in those early stages of Jim Callaghan's brief and ill-fated Labour government. Showing the same capacity to adapt which has served her and the monarchy so well since, Queen Elizabeth told peers and MPs jointly assembled in Westminster Hall that she could "readily understand these aspirations" for self-government, counting as she did kings and queens of England and of Scotland, and princes of Wales, among her ancestors.
However, in a memorable phrase instantly reassuring to those fearing constitutional change and the possible unravelling of the Union itself, the queen declared: "I cannot forget that I was crowned queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland." So the Rev Ian Paisley and his DUP supporters at least may have thought it highly appropriate that he should have made what many commentators agreed was the best speech on Wednesday as the House of Commons approved the Humble Address congratulating Queen Elizabeth on her 80th birthday today.
The old preacher man got off to a curious start, sounding at first as if his mini-sermon had been prepared for a funeral, telling MPs "the day we were born is the day we started to grow old". However any nervous colleagues gathered round him on the green benches would have been quickly reassured. The "unalterable fact", he intoned, was that "old age will be bright if we keep our souls from ageing".
And one of the greatest blessings of the British nation, he declared, was a beloved queen who was so youthful in her soul. "She brings to us all a pleasant youthfulness of spirit," said Dr Paisley. "What a privilege to have such a monarch. She has taught and demonstrated to us all that growing old is not a condemnation, but a coronation."
The sentiments chimed with some 330,000 octogenarians whose number Dr Paisley recently joined, for whom this celebration of the still-working queen is the perfect answer to a culture which often seems to value only "youth".
Had they not spoken first, prime minister Tony Blair and Conservative leader David Cameron would have found it difficult to top this performance by the DUP leader. Blair and Cameron, like Liberal Democrat leader Sir "Ming" Campbell, were impressive enough in time-honoured parliamentary fashion.
Mrs Blair may famously have difficulty bringing herself to bow to the sovereign, and there were conspicuously fewer Labour than Tory MPs in the house for the formalities. But even with deputy prime minister John Prescott (not noted for his royal fervour) seated alongside him, Mr Blair was again lavish in his praise for a head of state he clearly admires. Having seen the world transformed in her own lifetime, Mr Blair said the queen was "a source of constancy and strength" and "a reassuring and unifying presence for her people". Having first met Winston Churchill when she was just two, Mr Blair noted that he is Queen Elizabeth's 10th prime minister. Mr Cameron raised a few laughs when he noted he in turn was her 19th leader of the opposition - though if she had noted that this number had increased all too frequently in recent years, "she was far too polite to point it out".
Although one of the world's most photographed, documented and talked-about figures, the queen has never given an interview. Unlike her son and heir, Prince Charles, we know nothing of her views - a fact which her friends and admirers believe central to the "mystery" which has helped to sustain her reign.
Outside the tight royal circle, as Mr Blair remarked, prime ministers have better reason and opportunity than most to know her. She has, he said, "superb judgment, an intuitive empathy with people, and, above all, an unshakeable and profound sense of duty". Similar tributes have been greeted in some quarters as no more than a variation on the theme predictably played out on special anniversaries, jubilees and the like as the faded bunting is unfurled. That may well be so.
Yet it does not detract from the fact that they speak to where the British people are in relation to their monarch. Barely one in 10 favour a republic. The crises over tax, the Windsor fire costs, the death of Diana, princess of Wales, have faded with the passage of time, even as the queen maintained a masterly distance while bowing to the fact that Camilla was indeed to be an indispensable part of Prince Charles's life.
There will be more debate to come. Some think the monarchy should end with this queen's eventual passing, others that come the time Charles should stand aside in favour of Prince William. But it will be further down the line, and with little prospect of change. "Long to reign" is the prayer of Britain's monarchists. Mr Blair can only envy his sovereign's capacity to go on and on. And however Gordon Brown might define his anticipated premiership in terms of "New Labour", it will not be as the new republic.
Queen Elizabeth was born at 2.40am on April 21st, 1926, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York.
She is the great-great- grandchild of Queen Victoria, and is 38th in direct line of descent from Egbert, King of Wessex from 802 and King of England from 827 to 839.
Aged five weeks, she was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in the chapel at Buckingham Palace.
She was born third in line to the throne after Edward, Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII, who was to abdicate, and her father, the Duke of York, who became King George VI.
Princess Elizabeth was educated at home with Princess Margaret, her younger sister.
After her father succeeded to the throne, Elizabeth became heir presumptive and started to study constitutional history and law. She spent most of the second World War years at Windsor Castle.
Princess Elizabeth married her third cousin, Prince Philip of Greece, on November 20th, 1947.
Their first child, Charles, was born in 1948, followed by Anne in 1950, Andrew in 1960 and Edward in 1964.
On February 6th 1952, King George VI died. Elizabeth was proclaimed queen on February 8th and crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 2th 1953.
She became a grandmother in 1977 when the Princess Royal gave birth to a son. She has seven grandchildren; Peter and Zara Phillips, Prince William and Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie and Lady Louise Windsor.
Diana Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in August 1997.
In 2002 both Elizabeth's 101-year-old mother and her sister Princess Margaret died within weeks of one another.
Her eldest son, Prince Charles, married his former mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles, on April 9th, 2005, but Elizabeth did not attend their civil ceremony, preferring instead to go to the religious blessing afterwards.